Living LIVE News Report 05.23.11
Posted by Trace Aber on 05.23.2011
News and thoughts on L.A. Noire damaging some consoles, Gears of War 3's special editions, Microsoft's new student appreciation program and Duke Nukem Forever's demo! Plus, Dragon Forge takes the Indie Spotlight and more!
REPLY POSTED
Well written article, alot of great points. I'm sure there are the few that have traded in their PS3 for a 360, but I highly doubt very many. The jump of 200% is a best guess in the past 2 weeks. Percentages are used to make it sound like a significant increase. The stores that would get on average 3 or for ps3's a month got 2 or 3 more basically. I'd say the PS3 owners who traded within the first two weeks were most likely idiots and we can do without em. The last 2 weeks, I would guess to switch consoles this late in the game they most likely didn't have much vested into their systems in the first place. I couldn't imagine trading my ps3 considering how many games I have now. Trading in anything anywhere is always an ass raping w/o a reach around. Just not a smart move imo.
As for the hacks. Is it honestly surprising? Square Enix was hacked a few days ago as well. Anonymous? That I am unsure of still. The name of the group is obviously beneficial. Apparently effective name as well. They are quite smug in their responses, I guess professionalism does have a profound effect as well. For image at least. But fortunately for them being smug does not constitute guilt.
Yesterday when I woke up I logged in and changed my password with no problem.I've read alot of comments from people having trouble with their passwords. I'm sure it's because they were trying to sign into an account created on another ps3 through their current ps3. I would assume most people have terrible reading comprehension and didn't see that emails will be sent for those. Most likely in a few days all the emails will be sent out.I'm sure since the update was mandatory you have hackers or those that are in a frenzy doing whatever they can to make it inconvient for anyone else. So expect it to be a little difficult for Sony to distinguish those trying to fuck the system and legitimate users.
Anyway, I was online for most of the day playing Socom 4, Killzone 3 and Crysis 2 and had no problem with connectivity or matchmaking. For about 2 or 3 hours I was in the same game with most of the same people in Socom 4. Got a new Wifi connect yesterday (live in apt and paid someone for their access code) and I'm at 100% connectivity. So that worked out well. Until they move that is :/ hah. Anyway if you're now active and online add me on PSN Old_Poptarts. I play the above as well as a little COD: B-Ops
Posted By: Josh@Work (Guest) on May 16, 2011 at 01:33 PM
You bring up a point about the fact percentages were given, not actual numbers. Still, the increase was significant enough to take notice, or at the very least raise eyebrows. Even if I didn't have another console I think being unable to play online games wouldn't have led me to switching brands, but I'm more of an offline player anyways. Now, if you took away my Netflix and Hulu Plus (Netflix was confirmed to be working during the downtime, not sure about Hulu) well, we might have a different story on our hands. Next time I login I'll add you, but as I stated I'm not on it a whole lot. Thanks for reading!
This hacker stuff is getting out of hand. There really needs to be a way to curb this behavior.
Posted By: Steve307 (Guest) on May 18, 2011 at 11:09 PM
I'd imagine that if they do find the people responsible for the hack that they'll be punished to the highest degree in order to set an example. But when your only leads consist of a large blanket term for a group with varying motives it's a bit easier said than done to find them.
I wouldn't bet the farm that the Xbox Live is somehow more secure than the PSN. If you connect to the internet, then there is a way in. Just look at another MSFT product, Windows, probably the most hacked thing ever in the history of mankind. To bail on Sony because of their network errors is just silly. Sooner or later these hackers will take out Xbox Live too. Pick up an Xbox because of the games not because you can't play Call of Duty for a few weeks.
Posted By: Wii60 (Guest) on May 20, 2011 at 06:25 PM
I agree whole-heartedly here. Any network, no matter how "secure," can be hacked if somebody is persistent enough. I'm sure Sony had what they believed to be adequate safeguards in place (and had been working up until this point), but when the hackers wanted in they got in. Then again, Call of Duty is a very powerful thing for some people. I know if my roommate were to be cut off from it his head might legitimately explode.
Welcome everyone to another issue of the Living LIVE News Report, and as always, I'm your host for the evening, Trace Aber. I'm unfortunately a bit under the weather today and also have to begin work on my twelve-page term paper, so this edition might be cut a little short. I picked up L.A. Noire on Friday and have been playing it pretty much non-stop since and I must say I'm extremely surprised by the game. I expected it to be fun but any and all expectations I may have had were shattered. The story has been great so far and the gameplay seems to be at least partially inspired from Heavy Rain's detective parts. I'll probably play Heavy Rain again after I finish L.A. Noire up, now that I think about it.
This Friday also happened to see the death of one of professional wrestling's greats, Randy "Macho Man Savage" Poffo. I would like to send my condolences to all the friends, fans and family of the Macho Man. My buddy and I started a wrestling podcast this week with the intention of covering every show, but we spent a solid 15-20 minutes solely on our Savage memories. You can check that out by clicking here, and subscribing to our YouTube Channel.
Go to School, Buy a Laptop and Get a Free Xbox 360
In a rather unusual promotion, Microsoft is offering an Xbox 360 as an incentive to buy a laptop to stay in school. Yeah, rather convoluted. To be eligible you'll have to purchase a Windows 7 computer over $699 using a .edu email address through a set of participating retailers such as Dell.com and the Microsoft store. You can also take your student ID into a Best Buy or Microsoft Store and get the deal there as well.
You'll get an Xbox 360 4GB console absolutely free after meeting the requirements. The promotion started yesterday, May 22, and end dates vary by store and quantity available. The 4GB probably won't last you long though, so you'll probably want to pick up Xbox LIVE, a video game or two to play, and some extra storage space.
I like the idea of this promotion from both a consumer and marketing standpoint. College kids need laptops and they most likely enjoy video games, but might be put off by the initial startup fee. By enabling them to get a free console after purchasing a necessity like a laptop Microsoft ensures that those particular gamers are Microsoft gamers and not Sony or Nintendo gamers. Of course, the kids are still going to need to get a bunch of stuff and spend around $100 to $200 for the full experience, but hey, they got a free console! It does suck for anyone who got a laptop within the last week or so, but what can you do?
Gears of War 3 Special Editions Announced
What would a major release be without different ways to spend your money? Microsoft has announced the goodies available in two special editions, Limited and Epic, that offer more than just the game disc and assumingly disappointing manual. The full details can be found below the picture.
Limited Edition ($79.99 US) – The must-have for fans who want to celebrate the culmination of the trilogy, the Limited Edition includes:
-An Octus Award Box with Octus Service Medal – A 1:1 match in size and weight, this zinc-alloy cog-shaped medal replicates the award given to Adam Fenix in recognition of his work on the Hammer of Dawn. [Dimensions: 77 mm (3 in.) x 10 mm (0.4 in.)
-Exclusive Unlockable Adam Fenix Multiplayer Character – Each Octus Service Medal replica is engraved with a unique Xbox LIVE code that is the only way to unlock Adam Fenix in multiplayer.
-A fabric COG Flag – Proud colors that once flew above the House of Sovereigns.
-The personal effects of Adam Fenix: Includes his "Last Will and Testament," the initial Hammer of Dawn schematic, and other Fenix family mementos.
Epic Edition ($149.99 US) – The ultimate collection for hardcore fans who can't get enough "Gears of War 3," the Epic Edition includes:
-A Limited Edition Marcus Fenix Statue – Designed by Epic Games Art Director Chris Perna and expertly crafted by the artisans at Triforce, this fine PVC statue collectible makes the ultimate living room centerpiece for any true "Gears" fan. [Dimensions: height 285 mm (11.2 in.), diameter 225 mm (8.9 in. Weight: 1.7 kg (3.7 lb.)
-The Art and Design of Gears of War by Tom Bissell - Through unprecedented access to the Epic Games team, acclaimed author Tom Bissell (Extra Lives) gives readers an incisive behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the most celebrated sagas in video game history with 96 pages of interviews, photos, concept artwork and more.
-Infected Omen Weapon Pack — Custom multiplayer skins for the game's five starting weapons; Lancer, Retro Lancer, Hammerburst, Sawed-off Shotgun, and Gnasher Shotgun.
-All the contents of the "Gears of War 3" Limited Edition.
So is all this cool stuff enough to get you Gears fans to shell out $80 or even $150? I'm not a fan of the series but this seems like a lot of great collectibles for fans, and could see people lining up for both editions.
Random News and Notes
It looks like Codemasters' upcoming Tuesday release, DiRT 3, will be using the online pass system as it looks like it's becoming the norm more and more each day. It'll be called the VIP Pass and also allows access to five exclusive vehicles, so at least it's a bit more than just online play.
Reports of both broken PS3 and 360 consoles have been coming in, supposedly caused by Rockstar's new L.A. Noire. Rockstar Games blamed a recent firmware update on the PS3 failures and couldn't replicate any Xbox 360 lockups. I haven't had any problems with my copy, but I usually get pretty lucky on avoiding glitches.
Website XBLA Fans are reporting that the next Alan Wake game will be a standalone arcade title named Night Springs, which is also the name of a television show within the Alan Wake universe.
An Xbox LIVE Update went out last week that let users pay for downloadable goods using PayPal, as well as an auto-standby feature if the console stays idle for more than an hour.
Those in the Duke Nukem Forever Access Club (those who preorder the game from certain retailers or purchased Borderlands GOTY edition) will get to check out the Duke Nukem Forever Demo on June 3. Holy shit.
A recent report in EuroGamer suggests that Microsoft has some big plans for Kinect at this year's E3 show, including "10 non-sequel Kinect games." Two of the titles mentioned were Dance Central 2 and Kinect Sports 2, as well as a new title from Rare and an original "core" shooter. Racing fans will also be happy to know that Forza World, an open world driving game, is also expected to be shown.
The Digital Downloads Arcade Games
SEGA Rally Online Arcade (800MP)
Games on Demand
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand ($59.99)
Legends of Wrestlemania ($39.99)
Full Auto ($19.99)
DeathSmiles 2 ($29.99)
Fable III ($39.99)
Ok, so why is Blood on the Sand $60 while Fable III is $40?
DLC
Crysis 2: Retaliation Pack (800MP)
Fallout: New Vegas Honest Hearts (800MP)
Mass Effect 2: Genesis (320MP)
Dragon Forge (80MP)
Dragon Forge is another retelling of the classic Humans Vs Dragon story that has you playing the role of a dragon this time around. It looks great for a dollar indie game and has some pretty epic music to go along with it, but this sleek presentation isn't enough to overcome the horrible controls and uninteresting gameplay.
One of the biggest problems of Dragon Forge is an age old problem, really – how do you control a giant, fire-breathing dragon? Developers Fun Factory Entertainment apparently don't know the answer, as maneuvering your winged beast is damn near impossible when aiming for the tiny humans. The goal is rather simple – destroy all humans and buildings as needed, but it also requires precise aiming. Unfortunately, that's not something you can easily do in Dragon Forge. In fact, you simply can't do it. You might get lucky here and there, but most of the time you're just floating around looking like a dumbass while a mage shoots magic at you. Even if I could control the dragon with ease I still wouldn't like the game as it's just not all that interesting.
Outside of the presentation, there's nothing to get excited about over Dragon Forge. I was skeptical of a game looking this good for only a dollar and was apparently right in doing so. Unless your idea of fun consists of fumbling around with a dragon, you're better off avoiding this one.
Signing Out
That does it for me this week. Be sure to check back next week as we discuss all of the latest Xbox 360 news, including releases, rumors and reviews! Also, don't forget to bookmark 411Mania! And a note to all of the Indie Game developers out there – if you have an upcoming title that's going to be released soon drop me a line at traceaber@gmail.com and let me know. I'll write a full review of your game to be posted on 411Mania.com, which is a great way to get your game promoted!
Blood on the Sand isnt published by Microsoft so they don't set the price.
Posted By: huh (Guest) on May 24, 2011 at 01:36 AM
I just hope they put as much effort into the actual GoW 3 game as they did the packaging for the special editions. They basically created a whole new multiplayer "must have" mode for all shooters in GoW2 with horde mode but the lag was just brutal for the whole online experience...but....I will still be buying this game regardless. Just the regular version.
Posted By: Wii60 (Guest) on May 26, 2011 at 05:13 PM
I'll go to the papers if I have to.
Posted By: Randy Orton (Guest) on May 27, 2011 at 04:25 PM
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